21 February 2012

Predatory Hawaiian Caterpillar

This newly discovered caterpillar species is native to Hawaii and unique because it has evolved to eat snails (only about 0,13% of the worlds Lepidoptera are know to be predators or parasites).

Due to the hard shells of snails, the caterpillar has learned to utilize a silk-spinning technique to immobilize its prey (similar to spiders). Although all caterpillars have the ability to produce silk to form cocoons, this is the first record of a predatory caterpillar which uses silk to catch live prey.

This particular caterpillar have long, thin appendages on their abdomen which acts as sensory organs. When a snail touches the caterpillar, it bends back quickly and strikes. It forces its long body into the snail shell, capturing the snail in its own shell and eats it alive. Very cruel.

I dont know how to relate this to architecture, but I thought it was very interesting.

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